Wood lathe centering device



June 12, 1951 A. w. MONICKLE 2,556,595

woon LATHE CENTERING DEVICE Filed April 1. 1947 IN V EN TOR. V

Patented June I2, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE 2,556,595 I Y Woof)LATHE" ICENT'ERING' DEVICE i Arthur W. McNickle, Tacoma, Wash.Application April 1, 1947",- Serial No. 738,574

This invention relates to lathes and especially to those lathes whichare adapted to turn wooden articles.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide a means of securingthe article to be turned to the face plate of the lathe; second, toprovide a device to adjust the exposed length of the centering screwwhereby it is thus secured, so as not to penetrate into the material tobe turned a too great distance; third, means to assure the accuratecentering of the said screw; fourth, to eliminate the necessity ofproviding a multiplicity of face plates with wooden blocks attached,each having a different length of center screw extending therefrom; toprovide a firmer backing for the work being turned than can be providedwhen a relatively soft cushion effect of a wooden block is providedbetween the work and the face plate, thus eliminating chatter; and toprovide an inexpensive device which is easy to make, quick and easy toadjust, and effective in practice.

I attain these and other objects by the devices, mechanisms andarrangements illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which avertical section of a lathe head, showing my centering device, is shown.

It is the usual practice in wood-turning shops to provide a very largenumber of face plates, each provided with a properly centered woodenblock, each having a different length of screw extending therefrom atits center, to accommodate the diiferent types of work to be turned inthe lathe. This necessitates changing the face plate and block for eachchange in the job in hand, thus requiring a considerable outlay in moneyand loss of time in effecting the change. This objection is eliminatedby the following described device which is always properly centered andin which the exposed length of the screw for securing the work to theface plate is quickly and easily adjusted to any desired position, andwhich has the further advantage in that it brings the work firmly andtightly against the face plate instead of against an intervening blockof wood, thus eliminating the chatter which is so objectionable to goodwork and so difficult to avoid when a wood block is used.

Referring now to the drawing, it will be seen that the lathe head I, isprovided with the usual hollow shaft 2, suitably mounted in bearings,and screw-threaded at its end to receive the usual face plate 3. Theshaft 2 is, .of course, driven by a belt engaging the usual wheel 4. Thefront end of the opening in the shaft 2 is tapered at 5. and the rearend thereof is beveled at 6.

1 Claim. (01. 1342L=53Y A tapered centering plug I is inserted in thetapered end 5 of the shaft, and this plug is provided with an axial hole8 therethrough.

A wheel 9 is provided with a boss IIl extending therefrom and said bossis provided with a beveled edge II concentric with the wheel 9 andadapted to fit the beveled end 6 of the shaft 2. An axial hole I2extends through the wheel 9 and the boss I0, and is of the same diameteras the hole 8 in the plug 1.

A rod I3 fits snugly in the two holes 8 and I2. The front end of the rodI3 is screw-threaded with a wood-type thread I4, adapted to enter thepiece of wood to be turned and to clamp it tightly against the faceplate 3. The rear end of the. rod I3 is also screw-threaded at I5 withthe normal metal thread, and passes freely through the hole I2 in thewheel 9. A pair of nuts I6 and H are screwed on the threaded part I5 andclamp the inner and outer ends of the boss II] between them, thuslimiting the extent that the screw I I may extend beyond the face plate3.

Pins I8 may extend through the face plate 3 at various points to enterthe wood being turned.

The work to be turned in the lathe is first provided with a center holeinto which the screw I4 is screwed. The wheel 9, with the rod I3 clampedthereto by the nuts I6 and I1, is turned, the beveled surfaces 6 and I Ipreventing the forward movement of the rod I3 in the shaft 2 and thescrew I4 thereon drawing the work rearward against the face plate 3 (andthe pins I8) which is fixedly secured to the end of the shaft 2. Thusthe work is secured to the shaft and turns therewith. While the work isthus secured the rod I3 cannot move rearward because the work is heldagainst the face plate 3, which is immovable on the shaft 2, by thescrew I4.

My improved device is used in the following manner. When it is desiredto change the extent that the fastening screw I4 projects beyond theface plate 3, to suit the conditions of the next work to be mounted inthe lathe, the rod I3 is pulled rearward entirely out of the lathe headI; then the nuts I6 and I! are adjusted on the rod I3 to move theposition of the boss ID on the rod; then the rod I3 is returned into thehollow shaft 2, and will then protrude beyond the face plate 3 the newadjusted length.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a centering device which willtightly secure the work to the face plate; which can be adjusted in theextent that the attaching screw may penetrate into the work; and whichis accurately coaxial with the shaft.

It is, of course, understood that changes in the details of my improvedcentering device may be made without departing from the spirit of myinvention as outlined in the appended claim.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

In a wood lathe, the combination of a hollow rotating drive shaft,having a rearward tapered axial hole in the front end thereof; a faceplate mounted on the front end thereof; a rearward tapered plug fittingin said tapered hole, and having an axial hole therein; a rod,screwthreaded at each end and extending through said last hole, andbeyond the face plate; the rear end of said hollow shaft being beveled;and a boss adjustably mounted on said rod by clamping between nuts onthe rear end screw threads of said rod, and having its forward surfacebeveled to fit the bevel of the shaft, thereby adjusting the extent thatthe front end screw threads 20 project beyond the face plate andcentering said rod on said shaft.

ARTHUR W. McNICKLE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 268,393 Evans Dec. 5, 1882632,386 White Sept. 5, 1899 966,253 Smith Aug. 2, 1910 1,032,496Outterside July 16, 1912 2,333,055 Terrell Oct. 26, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTSNumber Country Date 62,685 Denmark Sept. 11, 1944

